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Photo courtesy of Tacoma Public Library. Six unidentified men pose with their horses in front of the offices of the Commercial Truck Co. in the early 1900's.
Photo courtesy of Tacoma Public Library. Six unidentified men pose with their horses in front of the offices of the Commercial Truck Co. in the early 1900's.

In 1891, acting on a tip, an unnamed Tacoma Daily News reporter began an in-depth expose of the cost to maintain horses used for the upkeep of Tacoma’s streets.  The first person he visited was Jay Haskins, Tacoma’s Superintendent of Streets.  Mr. Haskins said that between January and early May, the city purchased feed from three different places:  $300 worth from the Tacoma Trading Company, $322.21 from the Yakima and Tacoma Trading Company, and $45.56 from Birmingham and Tullis.  Then the reporter asked Mr. Haskin how many horses the city had.  And Mr. Haskin said he didn’t know.  He thought seven but went on to say that a city council man named Clinton just bought a team.  For an exact number, he referred the reporter to Mr. Clinton.

The reporter went to Mr. Clinton’s office several times but never succeeded in finding him there.  In desperation he revisited Mr. Haskin and asked if there was a record of the city’s ownership of horses.

“Only at the time they’re purchased,” Mr. Haskin said. “That information is available at the city clerk’s office.”

At the city clerk’s office, the reporter was told that the records only showed when teams were bought.  And on April 26 the Board of Public Works purchased a team for $365.  The clerk thought the city owned three teams.  He suggested the reporter check with the Board of Public Works.

The reporter made an official request for the records from the Board.  The person who responded, a man named Hodgins said he thought the city owned nine horses.

“I want to be sure,” the reporter said.

“Well,” Mr. Hodgins said, “inventory is only taken once a year, but I think the city owns nine horses: four teams and a cart horse.”

So the reporter went back to the Superintendent of Streets.  “Are you sure the city has seven horses?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” Mr. Haskins repeated.  “Sometimes horses are taken out of the fire department and police department and used on the streets, but I’m pretty sure there are seven.”

The reporter then decided to visit the city stables.  “Where are they?”  he asked.

“I don’t know,” Mr. Haskins said.

By this time, the reporter was in disbelief.  “You don’t know?” he said.

“No,” Mr. Haskins replied, “but Mr. Clinton does.”

The reporter found the location and on his way there ran into Harry Lillis, Tacoma’s fire chief

“Say chief,” he said, “Do you ever let any of your horses work for the city street department?”

“Under no circumstances.”

“Under no circumstances?”

“Positively, under no circumstances.”

The city’s stable was in an old barn at 512 Seventeenth Street staffed by a stable boss and at least one helper.  The second floor was full of election paraphernalia.  The first floor had three road carts, two buggies and several road scrapers.  The horse stalls were in the basement and had two teams.

“How’s the feed?  Got plenty?”  the reporter asked.  One of the feed bins had only a measure or two of oats.

“Enough for a couple of days.”

Then the reporter asked about the hay.  “I see you have only four bales of about 150 pounds each.”

“That’s right.”

“How many city teams are at work, today?”

“Only one.  They work nights.”

“How many teams are kept in this stable?”

“One.”

“Where are the others?”

“That’s all there is except the cart horse.”

“Then the city only has five horses?”

“That’s all.”

The reporter gestured toward a team in one of the stalls.  “Well, whose team is that with the blankets on?”

“That’s Mr. Clinton’s”

“And whose is the other one?”

“Well, some say it’s Mr. James’ and some say it’s the city’s, but I think it’s Mr. James’”

“Do they do city work?”

“No.”

The reporter checked a second feed bin and it was full of fresh oats. “There’s fresh oats here, why do you need to order more?”

“That belongs to Mr. Clinton and Mr. James.”

“Then you feed their horses from this bin?”

“Yes.”

“And the bales of hay are theirs, also?”

“Yes.”

“So the city is only feeding five horses?”

“That’s all.  Sometimes fire department horses are sent here to do a little work and then they’re fed, too.”

The reporter returned to the newspaper office and called the three companies that had been selling the feed to the city.  None of them had sold hay or grain to either Mr. James or Mr. Clinton.

He summarized his findings as follows:  the city stable boss says the city’s street department owns five horses, the Superintendent of Streets says it owns seven horses and the Board of Public Works says it owns nine.  From Jan. 1 until April 26, the monthly feeding charge was $548.11 or $137.02 a month.

He also worked out the charges depending on how many horses the city actually owned:  three horses, $45.67 a month, five horses, $27.40 a month, and seven horses, $19.57 a month.  Then he posed the question:  can a horse be fed for $19.57 a month?

Livery stables weighed in and said that feed, bedding, water, currying, and boarding a horse ran from $22.50 to $25 a month.  Draymen and teamsters said their monthly charges were from $13 to $18 but $15 was a good average.

Figuring in the stable boss’s wages at $60 a month added $8.55 to the cost and care of each horse. That didn’t include water, bedding, renting the barn and additional stable hands.  The reporter said it would be profitable for the city to board its horses at a livery barn for $25 a month.

Of course, how much would be saved by doing this depended on how many horses were involved.  Even if it owned nine horses, taxpayers had to pay more than a livery stable would charge.

The reporter turned all the figures over to a third City Councilman who promised to investigate.

Karla Stover by — July 28, 2011 in Everything Else

Community Connections ADRC Team Member (left to right) Eunice Forest, Paul Calta, Matt Santelli, David Bradt, Barbara Bauml and Randy Ip.

The Aging and Disability Resource Center (ADRC) team at Pierce County Community Connections has something to celebrate. All six ADRC case managers received recognition as Certified Information and Referral Specialists in Aging (CIRS-A).

Barbara Bauml, David Bradt, Eunice Forest, Randy Ip, Matt Santelli and supervisor Paul Calta successfully passed the CIRS-A exam. The test measures abilities in the field of Information, Referral and Assistance (I&R/A). It covers a variety of competencies to gauge the knowledge, skills, attitudes and work-related behaviors needed by those working in I&R/A.

“Congratulations to our case managers for receiving the CIRS-A certification,” said Helen Howell, Director of Pierce County Community Connections. “Their commitment to providing high quality services to our clients is very clear to those of us here at Community Connections. This certification acknowledges the competence of each team member and provides a wonderful stamp of approval to the ADRC.”

A service of Pierce County Community Connections, the ADRC provides free assistance to older adults, individuals with disabilities, family members, caregivers, friends, neighbors and professionals. The center offers information, referral and assistance to people seeking to access public and private pay programs and services to help residents remain independent and safe in their own homes for as long as they are able.

CIRS-A certification signifies expertise on issues relating to older adults.  The certification is administered by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems, a professional association for community Information and Referral (I&R) and I&R/A providers in the United States and Canada.

 

The ADRC is available by phone at (253) 798-4600 or (800) 562-0332; on the web at www.PierceADRC.org; and at the Community Connections office at 1305 Tacoma Avenue, Suite 104.

Bonnie Dickson by — July 28, 2011 in Everything Else

Many people wonder how to plan for their estate if they have concerns about the ability of a beneficiary to handle a bequest.  They want to know what options they have and how a charity might be involved in the solution, if at all.

Usually the best option for a beneficiary who might not be capable of handling a lump sum gift is to create a trust for the beneficiary.  In a trust, you can name a trustee to handle the financial management and make distributions to or for the benefit of the beneficiary.  Trusts can be very flexible, so you can structure the distribution provisions to fit the needs of your beneficiary.

The trustee can be a family member, a friend or a professional.  Often, however, family members are not the best choice because distribution decisions may place stress on family relationships.  Under the best of circumstances it can be awkward to manage funds for another family member.  If you are dealing with a beneficiary who is financially irresponsible, the situation can be much worse because the beneficiary may put pressure on the trustee to increase distributions.  For similar reasons it may be difficult for a friend to serve as trustee.  Banks and trust companies are a good option because they are experienced in working with difficult, inexperienced or irresponsible beneficiaries.

If you like the idea of providing a beneficiary with a regular income stream for the beneficiary’s lifetime and you would also like to support a charitable organization, then there are two options that allow you to meet both of these goals.  These options are charitable remainder trusts and charitable gift annuities.  Both of these options provide a stream of income to an individual beneficiary.  Upon the death of the beneficiary, the funds remaining in the trust or annuity belong to the charity.

Many charitable organizations offer charitable gift annuities administered by the charitable organization.  These are simple to set up and can be funded with relatively small dollar amounts.  Although it is a good idea to consult your attorney, accountant or other financial advisor, you do not need the services of an attorney to create a charitable gift annuity.  Charitable remainder trusts do require an attorney to draft the trust document.  A charitable organization can often serve as the trustee if the organization is designated to receive all or a significant portion of the remainder following the death of the beneficiary.

Trusts offer an effective solution if you have concerns regarding a beneficiary’s ability to handle a gift or inheritance.  If you want to combine planning for your beneficiary with a charitable gift, then a charitable gift annuity or a charitable remainder trust might be the best option for you.

 

Amy Lewis is an attorney with Eisenhower, Carlson, PLLC, in Tacoma. She specializes in charitable gift planning, estate and tax planning.  Please consult a qualified attorney or estate planner before making a gift in your estate.

Amy Lewis by — July 28, 2011 in Everything Else
Diabetes: a growing health concern

By Hugh Straley, MD, Chief Medical Officer, Soundpath Health

In the United States, 10.9 million people age 65 and older have diabetes. It is one of the most common and potentially serious chronic diseases among seniors. When diabetes is not controlled, glucose and fats remain in the blood and, over time, will damage vital organs. Diabetes can lead to many complications, including heart disease, vascular disease and kidney failure. The good news is that complications can be avoided through careful management of diet and exercise, with or without appropriate medications.

The growing epidemic of obesity is a primary cause of diabetes among seniors in the U.S. Other risk factors are a family history of diabetes and a history of diabetes during pregnancy. Diabetes is also seen more frequently in African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans.

Often there may be no symptoms because late onset diabetes in older people develops very slowly. But common warning signs of diabetes are increased thirst and hunger, dry mouth, frequent urination, vision changes, frequent infections and hard-to-heal skin ulcers.

Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney disease, foot infections and amputation. It may lead to premature death, primarily from heart-related events. If uncontrolled, diabetes can lead to complications of the skin, bone and joints, nerve damage, non-healing ulcers and diabetic coma.

Once discovered, diabetes can be effectively managed through diet, exercise, weight loss and often with medications. The key to good self-management is a thorough understanding of the disease and following the care recommendations of physicians and caregivers.

There are many benefits of early detection and early treatment of diabetes. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that anyone 45 years or older who has risk factors or is obese consider being screened for diabetes. Diabetes is detected if a fasting plasma glucose level is 126 mg/dL or greater. For people with diabetes and high blood pressure, it is known that reducing and controlling blood pressure and reducing cholesterol early decreases the incidence of heart disease and death.

1. Don’t smoke. Your best health means being tobacco-free.

2. Maintain blood sugar. Your blood sugar (A1C) should be less than 7 percent.

3. Lower bad cholesterol. Your LDL should be less than 100mg/dL.

4. Control blood pressure. Your BP should be less than 130/80.

5. Take daily aspirin. If you are 40 or older, take one baby aspirin per day.

6. Make healthy eating choices. Work with your doctor and team to create the right meal plan for you. Confer with a dietician as needed to help you make the right choices.

7. Get physically active. Start or maintain a regular physical exercise routine. Consult your doctor about starting a safe exercise plan. Do an activity every day.

8. Lose Weight. Losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight can have dramatic improvements in blood sugar, blood pressure, and over all well-being.

9. Take your medicine. If you take pills or insulin to control diabetes, it is important for you to have a thorough understanding of how they work and when and how to take the medicine. If you take other medicines or supplements, ask your doctor how these could affect your diabetes control.

srmedia by — July 28, 2011 in Everything Else